Like Father, Like Son
by Tiara Moss
Summary: Based on the song of the same title, this Aida fan fic looks at Zoser when he was younger and shows how he went through a similar situation to that of his son, Radames.
1. Disclaimer

Like Father, Like Son

By Tiara Moss

INTRODUCTION

I was listening to the soundtrack to _Aida_ one day and I was listening to the song "Like Father, Like Son" when I came across a line that made me think. It's where Zoser sings "just like me he's found that flesh can excite but will enmesh." It got me wondering if maybe Zoser went through a similar situation. Maybe that's something that everyone's figured out already, but I've only seen the show once and (unfortunately) can't remember most of his scenes very well. So this story is about Zoser when he was younger and what made him sing the line I mentioned above.

THE HISTORICAL STUFF

I may not be as historically accurate as some would like me to be. I have done and still am doing extensive research, but as this is an Aida fan fic, I have to go by the history they present there as well. Also, the clothing worn in Aida was not anything like they actually wore in Ancient Egypt, but since Aida portrays the Egyptians as being (mostly) fully clothed, I figured I'd go with Disney on this one. I made up almost all of the traditions and whatnot. I have poetic license, right? I can do that.

DISCLAIMER

_Aida _and it's character Zoser belong to Disney and I don't claim to be associated with Disney in any way, shape, or form. All of the other characters, however, are mine.


	2. Chapter 1

CHAPTER ONE

Zoser stared at the woman, hoping that she couldn't tell he was doing so. She was the most beautiful girl he'd ever laid eyes upon. She had long brown hair, soulful brown eyes, and beautiful brown skin. She wore a long white dress and was talking to Prime Minister Uzrel.

Suddenly a hand clapped on his shoulder and a hearty voice said, "She's a beauty, isn't she?"

Zoser turned to his father, pretending that he didn't know what he was talking about. "Who is, Father?"

His father, Sabian, a handsome but large man of fifty-seven, laughed, knowing that his son was too embarrassed to admit that he'd been looking at the woman across the room. "Why, Princess Ayena, of course."

"Princess?" Zoser asked, swallowing hard. She was a princess?

"Yes. She's the daughter of the King of Limia. He wishes to make an alliance with Pharaoh. He sent her to Egypt so that she could get a taste of the country and its people."

Zoser looked at her again, heartbroken. She was a princess, meaning that he would never get close enough to her to talk to her or even to meet her.

Zoser was 17 and the son of a minister of Pharaoh. He was tall, muscular and blonde; a rather attractive youth who'd already had affairs with a few of the handmaidens at the palace. However, he was quiet and troubled. He had frequent nightmares, some of which left him shaking for days afterward. His head was filled with wild ideas that scared, but also excited, him. He couldn't explain it but he had this feeling that he was destined for something, something that filled him with dread.

His father shook his head just then. "You can forget it son. There's no way that she'll ever give you a second glance." He began to walk away.

Zoser tagged along behind him saying, "I wasn't looking at her, Father, I swear. I didn't even realize that she was there until you mentioned her."

Sabian chuckled. "All right son. I believe you." They both knew that he didn't.

Zoser changed the subject, but just barely. "The dinner tonight is for her then?"

"Yes, son, it is." The two of them had reached the other side of the Great Hall. "I expect that you'll be in attendance?"

Zoser shrugged. "I wasn't going to go. Last time I went to dinner in the presence of a diplomat, I spilled wine on his wife."

Sabian laughed. "Which is why you will sit on my right side this time, as opposed to my left."

They entered the throne room and Zoser automatically dropped to his knees. It was a ritual he despised, one that he would have changed if he were Pharaoh.

Sabian kneeled in front of the Pharaoh momentarily then rose again. Zoser remained on the floor.

"Minister Sabian." The Pharaoh acknowledged Zoser's father.

"You wanted to see me, your Highness?" Sabian bowed his head.

"Yes." He pointed to Zoser. "But first, tell your son, Zasin-"

"Zoser!" Zoser interrupted.

The Pharaoh and Sabian were dumbfounded. One of the guards that was standing near the throne moved forward as if to strike the young man.

"No Thamian." The Pharaoh held up his hand to stop the guard.

"But sire…"

"He did not mean to interrupt me, I am sure." The Pharaoh replied. "He is young still. He is not yet fully acquainted with the law of Pharaoh." He looked at the boy. "Isn't that right…_Zoser_?"

"Yes, your Highness." Zoser replied.

The Pharaoh nodded. "As I was saying, Minister Sabian, tell your son to please rise."

Sabian did so. Zoser was surprised. He had never been allowed to stand in the presence of the Pharaoh before.

"Now, Minister, as you know, Princess Ayena is here on very important business. Her father wishes to make an alliance with Egypt. She will be here for a week and I want her stay here to be very comfortable."

"As do all of us." Sabian assured him.

"I understand that your daughter, Jandi, has married and now lives with her husband and his family. Am I right?"

"Yes, Sire." Sabian replied.

"Do you think the Princess could stay in Jandi's old room for the time being? It is a private room, one away from the men. It would please me if you would comply."

A strange, dangerous look passed over Sabian's face briefly, then he nodded. "Of course she can use it."

Zoser wasn't at all pleased. He would have made that fact known had Thamian not have been watching him like a hawk. That had been his sister's room and he didn't think that it should be handed off to just anyone, even if it was a beautiful woman.

"That will be all, Minister." The Pharaoh dismissed them.

After they had left Zoser asked his father, "Why does the Pharaoh never thank you?"

"Why should he?" If Zoser had been paying close enough attention he would have realized that there was an edge of malice in his father's voice. "I am just a minister. It is my job to comply with his orders." He shook his head, the bitterness gone. "Sometimes I wonder about you son. You know the law."

Zoser nodded. "Yes father."

() () () () () 

That night, before the dinner for the Princess, her servants moved her things into Jandi's room. Zoser watched as his sister's bed was covered with elegant purple sheets, her chests filled with beautiful dresses. It pained him to see all the things that brought back such wonderful memories changed before his very eyes.

He remembered sitting on Jandi's lap as a young boy. She would tell him stories about far off places, stroking his hair, and hugging him. Zoser had lost his mother as a very young boy and Jandi had taken over that job. She had been the only happiness he'd known and now that was being totally disregarded for some haughty princess.

"Move!" A man in yellow ordered. He had about ten bottles of oil in his arms.

As Zoser got out of the man's way he considered spilling wine on the Princess no matter where he was sitting at the table.

"Raziel, that's no way to treat a minister's son." A female voice said, not unkindly. Zoser turned to see Princess Ayena standing in the doorway of Jandi's room. She was wearing a long flowing gold dress with jewelry hanging gracefully from her body. "Don't mind him," she said, referring to the man in yellow. "He's always like that."

Zoser was tongue-tied. "Uh, huh." He mumbled.

"Your father told me about you." She continued. "You're only a few years younger than I."

Zoser babbled incoherently, unable to form actual words.

"Are you okay? Should I go get someone?" She seemed genuinely concerned.

He finally found his voice. "Yes! I mean, no. I'm fine."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. I am."

She smiled at him sweetly then looked at the room in front of them. "So, this was your sister's room?"

"My father told you a lot, did he?"

She nodded. "He wanted me to know that I was welcome here. Between you and me, I think that he's trying too hard."

"Well, this alliance is important to the Pharaoh."

"It is to my father, as well."

Raziel came out of the room. "I hope everything is to your satisfaction. Do you wish to take a look around?"

"Yes, Raziel. I do. Would you excuse me…" She struggled to remember what his name was.

"Zoser." The smitten young man replied.

"Right. Will you excuse me, Zoser?"

"Yes, of course, Princess." His mind had been turned upside down sometime in the past five minutes and he no longer cared that his sister's room was being invaded by foreigners.

The Princess left Raziel and Zoser standing in the hall. Raziel walked around the boy disapprovingly. Zoser shifted around nervously under the man's gaze. Raziel was about thirty or so and he was quite large. He had a large bald head that shined in the torchlight of the hallway and black eyes that flashed dangerously. Frankly, he terrified Zoser.

After a few minutes Raziel nodded and stood about two inches away from Zoser's face.

"Stay away from the Princess." He warned, pointing a finger at the trembling youth.

Zoser nodded, then turned and ran down the hall to his room.


	3. Chapter 2

CHAPTER TWO

That night Zoser decided to go to the dinner. He wanted to see the Princess again and wanted to discuss Raziel with his father. He sat in between his father and Minister Tazon, with Princess Ayena sitting next to his father and across from the Pharaoh. She and the Pharaoh were discussing the alliance between Egypt and her father's country. Raziel, who Zoser found out was her temporary guardian, put in a few words here and there, giving Zoser a chance to talk to Sabian.

"He threatened you?" Sabian asked in disbelief, after his son had told him about what had happened.

"Yes. And she was the one who started the conversation in the first place." Zoser was sort of embarrassed that he had let Raziel intimidate him but his arm was as thick as Zoser's head and he'd learned as a young boy not to mess with someone like that.

Zoser may have been muscular now but as a child he was a skinny boy who was constantly teased by the other children in the palace. He'd been born there, could never remember a time when he'd been outside the walls of the Pharaoh's lavish grounds, and had grown up with the same children all his life. He was pushed around, bruised, and beat up constantly. Raziel was all of those children rolled into one and that scared him.

"What else did he say?" Sabian inquired, taking a sip of wine. What Zoser didn't know was that the gesture was hiding a sneer of contempt.

"I don't know." He paused before telling his father what had happened. "I ran away before he could say anything else."

His father set his wine down and looked at Zoser. "You can't be serious." When Sabian realized that he was he said, "What did I tell you when you were younger? Didn't I tell you to stand up for yourself, to be a man when you were afraid of something? I'm shocked that you would run away from a problem. When you've become a minister for Pharaoh, you can't run away from things, you have to face them."

Zoser refrained from saying what he was thinking: _What if I don't want to _be _a minister? _

Ever since he could remember his father had been preparing him to take his place as minister. He knew that Sabian wanted him to become Prime Minister. He had heard his father many a night asking the gods to help Zoser achieve greatness. He wanted to make his father proud, wanted to make him happy but he also wanted to be happy himself. He knew that he would be even more miserable than he was now if he became a minister. It was a double-edged sword, one that he dreamed of often. Most of the dreams involved the sword, held by his father, being driven through his chest. As he died his father would become the Pharaoh dressed as the Prime Minister. Then as he took his last breath the Pharaoh's face became his own.

He shook the dream from his head and looked past his father to the Princess. She was thanking the Pharaoh for his hospitality. She had changed again and was now wearing a light blue dress with gold trim. It looked amazing against her dark skin. He felt himself being watched and knew, without looking, that it was Raziel's eyes boring into him. He tore his gaze away from Ayena and took a sip of his wine.

After the meal women came into the dining hall and danced for the Pharaoh and his dinner guests. The Pharaoh's wife, Kaia, looked at her husband, as she always did when it came to this part of the meal, knowing that he would go to the dancers' quarters later on during the night and choose one to make love to. No woman dared go against the Pharaoh's wishes, even Kaia, who wished that he would make love to her instead. Zoser knew this because he'd overheard her telling that to one of her handmaidens. He knew a lot of things that he shouldn't have and, had he not been so young and so uneducated in the ways of the world, this would have made him a very dangerous and very powerful young man. But Zoser was, although unhappy with his life as a minister's son, respectful of the Pharaoh and his family. He would never tell anyone the things that he knew because he knew that if he did he would be silenced in a rather unpleasant way.

Raziel asked if he could be excused and the Pharaoh was now talking to the Prime Minister so the Princess was free to talk to Zoser again. Zoser, his insides churning, quietly left his seat and walked over to Ayena. He hoped that nothing would be said. The Pharaoh became quite insulted when someone got up without being told that they could.

"Your majesty," Zoser whispered when he had reached Ayena's chair. He was kneeling beside it and he saw her jump a bit when he spoke.

Pharaoh laughed loudly at something Uzrel said. Ayena looked down at the attractive youth, not sure what to do. She knew that if Raziel came back she would be in trouble. He had told her not to speak to Zoser, but she found herself attracted to him, nevertheless.

"Hello, Zoser." She murmured, barely moving her lips.

"I wish to speak with you again." He said, remembering their earlier conversation. Then he added, "Without any interruptions from Raziel." He saw her nod so he continued. "Will you meet me in the gardens later tonight?"

She thought about it, knowing that Raziel was going to be in another part of the palace and so would her handmaidens. In fact, the only things that stood in her way were the two guards that were to stand outside her door every night she stayed at the palace. But she knew that she could get past them easily. She nodded slightly. "Yes," she replied. "I'll be there."

Zoser grinned at her, then said, "I will see you then."

Not thinking, he stood up right next to her seat. Pharaoh saw and said, "Young man, what are you doing? You are supposed to ask permission to leave your seat."

"Yes your majesty." He said. Zoser had always been a quick thinker. "I would have asked permission, Sire, but Princess Ayena's earring was going to fall to the floor and I wanted to catch it before it did so."

The Pharaoh nodded. "Ask permission next time, Zami."

Zoser, who had sat down in his seat again, was about to correct the Pharaoh for the second time that day but Sabian, knowing what his son was thinking, put a hand on Zoser's shoulder before he could say anything. It was most likely a test to see if Zoser had learned his lesson, Sabian explained. And he was right, for the Pharaoh smiled and nodded in approval. Zoser let out a sigh of relief, as did Sabian. Raziel was back the next minute and Zoser decided to keep his eyes off of Ayena until that night in the garden. His heart pounded as he imagined walking the grounds with the beautiful woman. He began asking the gods to speed time up so that he could be with the Princess as soon as possible.

() () () () () 

That night the pair met in the gardens. The moon was full and bright and its pure light shone down on each of the magnificent plants that Zoser and Ayena looked at. They talked softly about such things as her homeland, Egypt, their fathers, and their pasts. Zoser decided to leave a few details out and felt bad that he was doing so, but he had never met a woman as wonderful as this one and he didn't want to scare her off. Ayena kept a respectful distance between the two of them and Zoser realized that she didn't trust him yet. He'd change that in a hurry.

"Princess?" He said when they had stopped to look at a certain flower.

"Yes, Zoser?" Her voice was as smooth as silk.

"I want to show you something, if you'll let me." He gazed into her beautiful eyes, the moonlight showing on them, and he was sure that he'd heard her gasp just a bit. "It's just past here. It won't take long."

She seemed to think about it, then nodded. "I'd be delighted."

He put an arm around her shoulder and there it was: the slightest intake of breath fell upon his ears. He smiled. But little did he know, right now two men were discussing his future and had come to a decision that would change his life forever.


	4. Chapter 3

CHAPTER THREE

"Minister Sabian." The man said standing as Sabian entered the room. "I am glad that you decided to come here tonight after all." He sat down and motioned for Sabian to do the same.

"This meeting is as important to you as it is to me, Minister Rymon." Sabian's voice was no longer jovial, but rather sly and it had an iciness that would chill the Nile. "My son should have been betrothed a long time ago, but his mother would have nothing of the sort. When she died, gods rest her soul, I planned to try again, but that blasted Jandi was just as stubborn as her mother."

Rymon nodded hesitantly. "Yes, well, my daughter Kyrie was betrothed, but, sad to say, the man she was to marry drowned a few weeks ago." He shook his head. "It was a terrible tragedy."

Sabian said nothing, but there was a glimmer in his eye that told Rymon that this was not news to him. He shook the thought from his mind. He was still mourning the loss of his future son-in-law and was most likely just trying to blame someone for the loss of a boy he had grown rather fond of.

"Yes, I can imagine." Sabian said, rather cautiously. He changed the subject. "Your daughter is a beautiful girl, Minister. My son will be happy to know that he is to marry her."

"Well, we haven't come to a decision yet." Rymon reminded him.

"Minister Rymon, I'm sure that you will agree that both of our options are running thin. The other ministers went through this process a long time ago. I've talked to them. We are the only two left." Sabian replied.

Rymon knew that he was right. He didn't like or trust Sabian, but Kyrie needed to find a husband soon and Zoser was the obvious choice. "You're right. Rotten, but, nevertheless, right."

Sabian nodded, pleased that Rymon agreed. Maybe drowning that sorry excuse for a man had been the right thing to do after all. "So, do we have a deal?"

Rymon looked over at his fellow minister who had a dangerous-looking smile on his face. He hoped that he wasn't putting his daughter at risk. "Yes. Yes, I think we do."

Sabian laughed bitterly. "Welcome to the family."

() () () () () 

Ayena laughed, splashing water in Zoser's direction. The two of them were sitting on the edge of a lake in the middle of one of the gardens, their feet dangling into the water. It was Zoser's favorite part of the palace gardens. When he was a child he would sit, just like he and Ayena were now, for hours on end, thinking, imagining. The day his mother died he had run out of the palace into the gardens and slid beneath the cool waters of this very lake, letting it wash over him, taking his troubles away.

"So, what do you think?" He asked her.

Ayena threw her head back, her hair dangling down, glistening in the moonlight. "I love it!" She giggled gleefully. "It's all so beautiful!"

"I used to sit here as a child. It was the one place I could escape to."

"I know how you feel. Where I come from we don't have a garden but there is a room at the far end of the palace that no one's used for the longest time. It used to be a servant's quarters. I found it one day when I was running from the palace guards. I had interrupted a very important meeting and they had chased me out."

"You sound like me when I was younger." Zoser chuckled, remembering when he'd accidentally walked in on the Pharaoh and his Captain of the Army discussing war strategies. He'd been run out by one of the guards and his father had punished him by not letting him eat his meal with the family that evening.

Ayena leaned back, remembering. "I used to go there and pretend I was a peasant girl."

"Why?" Zoser had never fantasized about being poor and didn't understand why anyone would want to.

"No real reason. It was just something that I'd never experienced before." She looked over at him. "Didn't you ever do that? Pretend that you were someone else, somewhere else?"

Oh yes, he'd done that. Every day of his life for the past seventeen years he'd pretended that he was anywhere but in the Pharaoh's palace, that he was destined to be anything but a minister.

Zoser nodded. "I still do that."

They looked at each other briefly, then looked away again. Zoser had had lovers before, but this woman was different. There was something about her that made him uncomfortable. He was feeling things that he never had felt for a woman before.

Ayena looked up at the sky, then at the ground, then at Zoser. "I should go soon. If someone goes to check on-"

"Princess!" A voice called out in the distance. "Princess, where are you?"

Ayena gasped. "It's Raziel!" She whispered.

"Quick! Hide!" The pair ducked behind a small grove of trees.

In a few minutes Raziel turned the corner. "Princess, are you out here?"

Zoser and Ayena huddled together, something that neither of them minded very much. Zoser pulled her close and she turned around so that she was face to face with him.

"Princess Ayena? One of the guards said that they saw you sneaking out. Are you here?" Raziel was looking behind statues and trees, something that scared Zoser just a bit. "It's dangerous to wander around at night in a strange country alone." Then Raziel seemed to stop and think for a moment. "Unless you aren't alone."

Ayena stood on her toes and whispered into Zoser's ear, "Leave it to me." She then kissed him briefly on the cheek and crouched down, crawling until she had reached a considerable distance away from where Zoser was standing, rubbing his cheek.

"Ayena? Where are you and who are you with?" Raziel already knew the answer to the second question.

Suddenly Ayena came through the doorway to the part of the garden where Raziel was standing. "Raziel? Is everything okay?"

"Princess?" The man spun around and ran up to Ayena. "Oh, thank gods."

"Is something wrong?" She asked innocently.

"What are you doing out here at night?" Raziel's voice was stern.

"It's none of your concern." She began to walk away from him.

Raziel caught her arm. "Yes, it is my concern. Your father put me in charge of you and I'm going to do my job even if it kills me." He flung her backwards and she reached back to keep her balance. It took all that Zoser could do not to lunge forward at him.

"Let's just go back inside." Ayena pleaded, wiping herself off but not losing her composure.

"Not until you tell me who you were with and what you were doing." He towered over her like a giant, but she stood her ground.

"I couldn't sleep so I went for a walk around the grounds."

She started to make up some wild story about a nightmare and Zoser decided that now would be a good time to leave. He started to back up, careful not to step on any branches that may have fallen to the ground. He was successful for a few minutes but he hadn't planned on a wall being right behind him. He bumped his head and let out a little yelp. Raziel turned towards the grove.

"What was that?" He asked, walking towards it.

Ayena rushed to his side and grabbed his sleeve. "It's probably just an animal, Raziel. Can we go inside now? It's getting chilly out."

Raziel stopped inches from the grove. Slowly Zoser sidestepped his way out of the trees and hid behind a wall.

"You're right Princess. We don't want you to catch cold." He pulled his sleeve from her grasp. "You go back to your room. I'm going to find this animal."

Ayena tried to get him to go with her but he wouldn't have it. Dejected, she ran back to the palace. Raziel climbed through the grove, looking for the young man he knew would be there. He heard the sound of running and looked out at the garden where he saw Zoser hurrying to get back to the palace.

Raziel stepped out of the trees, sneering. "Some animal, Princess." He reached down to his belt and fingered the handle of his sword. "I'll make sure that _animal _doesn't get into anything that he shouldn't be. Mark my words."

() () () () () 

_Zoser was riding on a giant snake through Egypt; past the people he had known his whole life. There was his father, his sister, the Pharaoh, the Prime Minister, and many others. Suddenly Ayena was sitting behind him on the snake and Raziel was behind them. He rode an even bigger snake and was gaining on them. The giant snake had opened up his mouth and was going to swallow the snake that Zoser and Ayena were riding but before it could Zoser turned around and drove a sword through the top of the monster's throat. He pulled the sword out again and slew Raziel. Then the Pharaoh was in front of him. He was dressed as the Prime Minister and was giving Zoser his thanks and congratulations. He told the boy to come off of the snake so that he could receive his reward. Zoser kissed Ayena and then got off of the snake he was riding. Suddenly it started moving again and Ayena was carried off into the desert. Zoser looked at the Pharaoh who was laughing. It sounded like his father's laugh. He lifted the sword above his head, then drove it through Pharaoh's heart. _

Zoser woke up drenched with sweat, his heart pounding.


	5. Chapter 4

CHAPTER FOUR

The next morning Raziel escorted Princess Ayena to morning meal. He made sure that Zoser sat nowhere near her but, rather, where Raziel could watch him. In fact, Zoser did not have a chance to speak with her at all until after mid-day meal.

She had gone out to the gardens again to get away from Pharaoh, who constantly wanted to speak with her about her father. There wasn't much to tell that she hadn't already said but he insisted on her telling him every little detail. She understood that he wanted to make sure he was making an alliance with the right kind of person and the right kind of country, but some of the questions he asked were ridiculous. And Raziel never let her alone! He made sure he was within hearing and seeing distance, no matter where she went. Ayena wondered if maybe he knew that it had been Zoser in the garden with her the night before.

Somehow she managed to break away from the two of them and went to the same spot that she and Zoser had gone to the night before. He was there, floating in the lake. Ayena closed her eyes, knowing that he wouldn't be wearing a garment.

"Don't you have somewhere to be?" She asked. He jumped a mile, hiding his body from the neck down in the waters of the lake. "Please," she grinned, "don't get up."

Zoser's cheeks burned red. "Ayena!" He gulped. "I didn't know you were…how long were you…you didn't see…" He trailed off, embarrassed that she had seen him in such a compromising position.

She laughed. "Don't worry. My eyes are closed." She opened them long enough to find his clothes then handed them to him and turned around, closing her eyes while he got out of the lake.

A minute or so later he said, "You can turn around now." He was still red in the face. "How long were you standing there?" He asked, hoping that he hadn't given her an eyeful.

"Not long." She said, grinning. "So, what are you getting away from today?"

He smiled. It had been less than two days since they had met each other and she already knew him so well. "I was actually preparing for something. My father told me this morning that he wants me to go to the minister's meeting today. He thinks that it will help me for when I become a minister."

Ayena looked at him thoughtfully. "You don't want to become a minister, do you?"

Zoser nodded. "Is it that obvious?" He didn't wait for her to answer. "He wants so much from me! He wants me to become Prime Minister." He leaned up against a tree. "I want so badly to make him happy, but I don't want to be tied down to a life that I don't enjoy being in."

There was a grand pause. Then:

"Why don't you tell him that?" Ayena asked.

"Because I don't want to disappoint him. He's worked hard all his life and he expects me to do the same." He sighed deeply. "His father was a minister as well and he expects me to carry on the tradition I guess."

"What about what you want?"

"What I want doesn't matter when it comes to Pharaoh. I'm expected to be a good little boy and grow up to be a big important minister, just like everyone wants me to." He got a far off look. "I wish I could be like my father, never questioning anything. He's happy to do his part for Pharaoh. He doesn't mind all the rules of conduct, the never being acknowledged for what he does. How does he do it?"

"I couldn't tell you." She admitted, wishing that she had the answer. She put a comforting hand on his arm.

() () () () () 

"Minister Sabian?" Pharaoh acknowledged when he passed Sabian on his way to the throne room.

"Pharaoh." Sabian said, bowing his head.

"Are the Princess's arrangements suiting everyone?" Pharaoh asked, oblivious to the look of utter hatred on Sabian's face.

"Yes." The minister managed to choke out. "They are."

"I am pleased." Then he was gone.

Sabian hurried along to his quarters. Once inside he bellowed, "Damn him!" He was so sick of giving and doing for Pharaoh and not being given the credit he deserved. "The only reason I haven't killed him yet is because his idiot son will take over for him! If only he'd had a daughter! I could've betrothed Zoser to her and then when dear old Pharaoh croaked he would be ruler. But no, Zoser has to marry Kyrie, daughter of Rymon the imbecile!" He knocked over a pile of books with his arm. "Where's that going to get him? Not a seat on the throne, that's for sure!" He sat down on the stool next to his bed. "I had plans! Zoser was to become Pharaoh! Now my only hope is if Kyrie gives him a son and the next Pharaoh has a daughter." He looked over at the side of the bed that his deceased wife used to sleep on. "If you hadn't been so adamant to wait until he was older to betroth him my plans might have worked." A knock on the door made him jump. "Who is it?"

Zoser opened the door. "You wanted me to come with you today."

"Oh, that's right. I'm sorry son." He let his evil minister face fade into his happy father one. "I hope you understand the importance of this." Sabian said.

Zoser did. "It's the first step for me on the path to becoming a minister."

"I'm so proud of you." Sabian told him. "You're going to follow in my footsteps." _And carry out my plans, _he added silently.

"And I'm happy to do so." Zoser lied.

"Good. Let's go."

The pair headed to the ministers' room. It was a large dreary room lit with only by six torches that had an air of soberness to it. Prime Minister Uzrel sat at the head of a long table with Ministers Rymon and Jareth on either side of him. Sabian took his seat next to Rymon and Zoser sat next to him.

Uzrel stood up as soon as all the other ministers had taken their seats. "This meeting was called to discuss the situation between Egypt and Princess Ayena's country, Limia. Pharaoh will be joining us later on, as will Limia's Grand Vizier, Raziel."

Zoser jumped at the mention of Ayena's guardian. _Raziel was the Grand Vizier of Limia? _

Uzrel continued to talk. "Minister Sabian has brought his son, Zoser, to sit in with us today. I think I speak for all of us when I say that I hope that he will join us permanently one day." There were murmurs of agreement from the rest of the men sitting around the table. "Now, to discuss the matter at hand." He sat down. "Princess Ayena's father, King Azric, has expressed an interest in allying his country with Egypt for years. He knows that we are a strong nation and he admires Pharaoh's leadership. He knows that by backing Egypt he will become strong. If he does not, he knows that the government will eventually be overthrown."

"I've spoken with his daughter a few times since she has gotten here." Minister Jareth said. "She knows, as does Raziel, that this is important."

"I think we all understand that." Minister Rymon replied.

Uzrel nodded. "Yes, well, Pharaoh is ready and willing to side with Limia, if we are. The question is: are we ready?"

The room fell silent. Everyone there was weighing the pros and cons to the situation. Zoser folded his arms on the table and laid his head down on them. Uzrel looked at him in disapproval.

"Minister Sabian?" He said, making Zoser lift his head just a bit. "If you are to bring your son here, I suggest that you make sure that he pays attention." He sneered in Zoser's direction. "Zoser, what do you think of all of this?"

Zoser swallowed hard, knowing that this could decide whether or not he became a minister when he grew older. He didn't like the idea but he wanted to make his father happy. Everyone was staring at him, his father most of all. Again Zoser applied his quick thinking skills in order to save his ass.

"Will your refusal to align Egypt with Limia cause military action on their part?" He asked. He knew that the ministers were always discussing the possibility of war as a consequence of their actions.

"Why do you ask?" Uzrel seemed intrigued.

"Well, I know that Pharaoh has been asking Aye-" he caught himself, "I mean the Princess, a lot of questions about her father and about Limia. It's obvious that he is interested in this alliance. Nothing you say can really change his mind, seeing as he is the leader of Egypt and all power lies in his hands. But he wishes to have your approval before going ahead with anything, so he asks you to discuss this and if you all disagree he will begin to think about changing his mind. Nine out of ten times he will go with what he wants, but there is that tenth time that he will listen to you. If this is that time and you decide that this is a bad idea, will this cause King Azric to deploy forces out of Limia and into Egypt?" He took a deep breath and held it, waiting to see what the Prime Minister's reaction would be.

Uzrel gave him an amused look and suddenly chuckled. "My, my, Minister Sabian, you certainly have taught him our ways, haven't you?"

Sabian nodded. "It's what his mother and I both wanted: for him to follow in both mine and my father's footsteps."

Uzrel smiled. "I apologize, Zoser. You are certainly minister material in my mind."

Zoser pretended that he was happy about this but deep down he was screaming, _Idiot! Why didn't you give them the wrong answer? You might've been able to save yourself from a boring life that you won't enjoy!_

Sabian looked at his son proudly and was going to say something when the door to the ministers' room banged open. Raziel burst in, followed by Pharaoh.

"Ahh, Raziel." Uzrel said as the Grand Vizier of Limia stood next to him. He stood up to let Pharaoh sit down in the chair, then stood on the other side of it.

Raziel saw Zoser and gave him a look that would've stopped the wind in its tracks. Zoser didn't understand what his problem was. He'd never done anything to Raziel. What reason had he given the man to hate him?

Uzrel introduced Raziel to the group then asked them to please honor the Pharaoh by lowering their eyes. Uzrel muttered something in the ancient tongue. Zoser didn't understand any of it, but he knew that it was a blessing to the Pharaoh and that he was supposed to stay quiet and keep his head bowed. After Uzrel was finished Pharaoh stood and addressed the ministers.

"Ministers, this alliance is important to Limia. Raziel has informed me that there are several groups trying to start a revolution there. King Azric needs Egypt's backing to keep the government from being overthrown. We need their resources. It's as simple as that. I have talked with Raziel as well as with Princess Ayena. Azric and Limia seem to be a safe ally." He nodded to them. "What do you wish to do?" He asked Uzrel.

"I was a little wary at first, but I think I'm beginning to see your side of it, Sire." He looked like he was thinking for a second. "However," his eyes darted over to Zoser, daring him to say something. "I just thought of something." He addressed Raziel. "Has King Azric discussed the possibility of a war if we do not align ourselves with Limia?"

Zoser's mouth hung open. _He'd just thought of it! What kind of idiot does he take me for?_ He silently fumed. _Is this how things work? The ministers do all the work, all the thinking, and the Prime Minister takes credit for all of it? _He didn't know what made him do it, but the seventeen-year-old found in him more strength than he'd ever known he had and he walked out of the room.

Uzrel watched him walk out, smiling amidst the protests of the other ministers. Sabian smiled too. The two of them realized then and there that Zoser truly was ready to begin his journey to the ministry.

() () () () () 

Zoser couldn't believe it. _The nerve of that man! _"I just thought of something!" Zoser mocked, pacing around his room. He had wanted to go to the gardens, but he figured that Ayena would still be out there and, as much as he liked her, he wanted to be alone. "Gods, why do I do this to myself?" He asked. "I want to make my father proud, but his wishes will never be my wishes, his plans will never be my own." He continued to pace. "We are nothing alike!" He pulled a chain out from underneath his vest. He'd almost forgotten that it was there. It was an amulet of the Eye of Horus. His father had given it to his mother and, before she had died, she had given it to him. He took it off, looked at it for a moment, then threw it across the room. "Nothing alike!" He raged.

"Temper, temper." Raziel was standing in the doorway.

Zoser jumped. He hadn't realized that anyone had been listening. "Get out, Raziel!"

"I'd rather not." Raziel looked over at the amulet that lay on the floor of Zoser's room. He bent down to pick it up at the same time that its owner did. "What do we have h-"

"Get your hands off of that." Zoser warned.

"Or what? You'll call your father on me?" He turned the amulet around in his hands. "Some quaint little family charm?" He asked. "Did Sabian give this to you?"

"No." Zoser was quickly losing his temper again. "Give it back."

Raziel held it out for Zoser to grab, then pulled it back. It amazed and angered the boy to see that a man almost twice his age was teasing him like the children had done to him when he was younger. "You know, I was impressed with the way you stormed out of there." Raziel said, referring to what had happened at the ministers' meeting. "You do realize that Uzrel did that on purpose don't you?"

"What?"

"He wanted to see what kind of response he'd get out of you. Apparently he got the right one." He laughed a bitter laugh. "Your father should be here soon to congratulate you."

"What do you want?" Zoser barked.

Raziel grasped the Eye of Horus tightly in his right hand and moved towards Zoser threateningly. "The same thing I wanted the night we got here. I want you to stay away from the Princess."

Distant footsteps could be heard coming down the hall. Raziel slowly backed away from Zoser.

"Remember what I said." He warned, tossing the amulet at Zoser.

He caught it before it landed on the floor and when he looked back up again, Raziel was gone.


	6. Chapter 5

CHAPTER FIVE

Zoser ate dinner with his father that night. Ever since Jandi had moved in with her husband's family they hadn't had too many family meals, but Sabian, trying to keep his "perfect father" image up until the time came for him to pass his plans on to his son, decided that he should celebrate his son's small but significant victory. He had decided not to shame himself or his elders in front of Pharaoh and instead decided to leave when he was going to lose his temper. It was the sort of thing that some ministers never learned to do.

After the meal, Sabian went to his quarters to "prepare a speech for an upcoming meeting", as he put it. He was really planning how to announce Zoser and Kyrie's betrothal. He hadn't said anything to his son yet, nor had Rymon said anything to his daughter. They wanted to wait for the right time. _Always waiting for the right time,_ Sabian thought bitterly. _You have to wait to make announcements, to make alliances…to commit murder. _He sighed. He knew that it was best to wait until Zoser could carry out his plans. Rushing into anything now would expose him and ruin his carefully laid out strategy.

Zoser stayed in his room for the rest of the night, not wanting to run into Raziel again. He knew that messing with the Grand Vizier of Limia wouldn't be good for himself or for Egypt. So he planned to stay away from Ayena. However, he didn't plan on Ayena wanting to talk to him…or knowing where his quarters were. And he especially didn't plan on her coming to visit him that night.

"Zoser?" She asked, standing in the doorway of his room.

Zoser, who had been lying in bed in nothing but a kilt, looked up to see her standing over his bed. "Ayena!" He exclaimed. "What are you doing here?" He remembered Raziel's warning all too well and hoped that she hadn't been followed.

"You didn't come to see me today and I thought maybe something was wrong." She sat down on the edge of his bed.

He jumped up immediately. Was something wrong? Of course something was wrong! He had been physically threatened! "No, nothing's wrong." He lied. "I just was so busy…"

"Why are you acting so strange?" She asked, her white dress seeming to glow against her dark skin.

"Strange?" Zoser giggled nervously. "I'm not acting strange."

"Yes, you are." She stood up and walked over to him. He banged into the wall. "Oh, are you all right?"

"Fi-" His voice cracked a bit. He cleared his throat. "Fine."

She smiled. "Raziel spoke to you, didn't he?"

_How had she known?_ He wondered.

"This isn't the first time father's sent me to do his dirty work…and this isn't the first time Raziel has gone with me, either. He watches me like a hawk." She saw Zoser nod uncertainly. "He never acts upon his threats, just likes to scare people off."

Zoser let out a relieved sigh, but sucked his breath in again when Ayena wrapped her arms around his neck. "Wh-what are y-you doing?"

She put a finger to his lips. "Shh." Then she leaned up to his lips and began to kiss him. He quickly pulled away.

He was a stammering mess. "W-we can't-can't d-do this, Pr-pr-princess."

"And why the gods not?" She asked.

"Because I'd like to have a head in the morning." He gestured for her to leave, but she walked over to his bed instead and lay down on it.

"Lie with me, Zoser." She pleaded.

He wanted to, so badly, but wasn't sure what to do. He looked at her beautiful form lying on his bed, remembering the other women he'd been with. They had never meant anything. They had been something to amuse himself with. But Ayena was different. She actually had the potential to mean something to him. He'd only known her for two days but already he felt as though he was falling in love with her.

He knew that if Raziel found out about this that he was a dead man, but suddenly he didn't care. He walked over to the bed and slid in next to Ayena, kissing her hard. Gods, it felt good. A few moments later they were naked, slipping into the safety of each other's company. Zoser couldn't remember anytime in the past where he had felt this good about anything. All other women escaped his memory and suddenly he couldn't even remember who he was, only that the woman he was with was the only lover he would ever need. Ayena, a much more experienced lover than he was, took control, something that he had never experienced before. He had no worries anymore. He ceased to exist. There was only Ayena, only the love he felt for the woman who was now giving him more pleasure than he'd ever experienced.

They lay there afterwards in each other's arms. He kissed her on the forehead as she played with the amulet that hung around his neck.

"What does this symbol mean?" She asked, twirling it between her fingers.

Zoser looked down at it. His mother had told him the story and he struggled to remember it. He smiled, pulling her closer to him. "It's the Eye of Horus, our family god. He offers protection and identifies me with other members of my family. My father has it tattooed on his palm, as will I if I become a minister. If I were to become a merchant it would be put on my shoulder. Soldiers would have it on their arm. And so on." As he talked, he took it off and slipped it over her head. "The story of Horus goes something like this: According to the old myth, a rivaling god, Seth, tore out Horus' eye. Seth was his uncle, who contended with him for the Egyptian throne after he had killed and dismembered Horus' father, Osiris."

"Sounds…interesting." Ayena said, sorry that she'd asked. She suddenly didn't want to wear it and put it back around Zoser's neck.

She kissed her new lover, her hands grabbing the back of his neck. They fell back into each other's arms and stayed there until Ayena began to worry. She was afraid that she would be missed. She dressed herself and left, only after giving Zoser a passionate kiss. He stood in the hall, naked, watching her run back to her room.

He had fallen in love for the first time in his life.

() () () () () 

Raziel was waiting for Ayena when she got to her room. He'd had a feeling that she had gone to see Zoser and wanted to stop this foolishness once and for all. She was ruining his plans. She wasn't supposed to fall in love. She was supposed to hate Egypt, she was supposed to go back to Limia and tell her father that no matter what Pharaoh decided that she wouldn't stand for him to align with Egypt. How did she expect him to overthrow King Azric if he had a strong ally like that? Of course, he knew that she had no idea he was planning a coup. How could she? She was a foolish, headstrong girl who fell in love easier than rain fell from the sky.

Ayena was giddy when she came into her room. It was dark and she hurried over to her bedside to light the torch.

Suddenly a hand was over her mouth and a familiar voice said, "You went to see him, didn't you?" She tried her hardest to break away, but her assailant, a man she had known all her life, wrapped his other arm around her body and repeated, "Didn't you?" He could feel her nod. He threw her on the floor then lit the torch on the wall. In the firelight his face looked even more evil than usual. "I told you not to go to him, bitch!"

"My father will hear about this!" She yelled.

Raziel slapped her across the face. "Shut up!" He picked her up and threw her down on her mat, climbing on top of her. "Let's see how loud you scream when you really have something to yell about!"

His mouth was on hers, hard, rough, forced. There was alcohol on his breath. She bit his lip and he yelled. Then he slapped her again. He ripped the top of her dress off and bit her neck. His hand roamed over her body and she kept trying to force him off of her, but no matter how hard she tried, he would push against her harder. She screamed as loud as she could. He punched her in the mouth, but she just kept screaming. He was about to force himself inside of her when two large hands suddenly pulled him off of her, pushing him against the wall.

A fist came in contact with his stomach, then a knee lifted itself into his groin. Raziel doubled over in pain. The person who had assaulted him stepped over his body into the hall.

"It came from in here!" He called to someone outside of Ayena's room.

The sound of pounding footsteps could be heard as Raziel tried to stand up again. Two guards joined the third who was checking on Ayena. The one who had punched Raziel told one of the men to "take care of the ass on the floor", then directed the other one to go to Pharaoh so that he could get a messenger out to King Azric.

After Raziel and the other guards had left, the first guard said, "Are you all right?"

Ayena just looked at him and started to cry. She cried for what seemed like hours, but it was really only about fifteen minutes or so. The guard, whose name was Kylon, sat next to her, almost putting an arm on her shoulder, but deciding against it.

"Princess?" He said, after she had calmed down a bit. "He'll get what he deserves."

() () () () () 

News of the attempted rape reached Zoser's ears the next morning. He had been strolling the grounds before morning meal and had overheard two guards talking about it when he came back inside from the gardens. His immediate reaction was to run to Ayena's quarters to see if she was all right. Once there he tried to get in, but was stopped by the two guards that usually guarded her door.

"No one's allowed to go in there except for the doctor and Pharaoh." One of them said.

"You don't understand! I have to-" Zoser began.

"No one's allowed in there!" The second one, a full two heads taller than Zoser, repeated. "Now, get out of here!"

"I have to see the Princess!" Zoser yelled. He tried to force his way in, but was stopped by both guards who picked him up and would have carried him away had Ayena not intervened.

"Stop!" She croaked from her room. Her voice was raw from screaming so much the night before. "Let him come in."

The guards looked at each other, shrugged, then dropped him on the floor. He stood up and brushed himself off. Once inside, he saw the broken, bruised form of Ayena lying on her bed. Her face was puffy, her top lip split. Her right eye was swollen shut. Zoser rushed to her side, grabbing onto her hand. She shuddered violently, so he let go again.

"No, no." She shook her head as much as she could. "Please, hold my hand."

He did, hesitantly. "Princess, why did this happen?" He couldn't understand why her father's most trusted advisor would try something so horrible.

"Why does Raziel do a lot of things?" She replied. She was silent for a moment. Then, "I'm glad you're here."

"So am I." He kissed her on the forehead. "You're going to heal. And Raziel's going to be punished for what he's done."

"Let's hope." She said, sounding a little less than convinced. "Let's hope."


	7. Chapter 6

CHAPTER SIX

The messenger had been sent to Limia the same night the events had happened. Limia was about a three-day walk away so the trial had been set for the following week. Raziel was locked into a cell and would be left there until his trial. He spent the first few days alone with his thoughts, punishing himself for his stupidity. He would be put to death, most likely, and Azric would stay in power until someone else was able to kill him. However, the third day he had a visitor, one that surprised both himself and the visitor.

On the third day of Raziel's imprisonment Minister Sabian came to visit him. Sabian had only visited the man because of something that had happened the day before between him and his son. He remembered it vividly:

_Sabian hadn't for a moment suspected that his son was sleeping with the Princess. But Raziel's botched rape attempt brought the affair to the surface. Sabian confronted his son, who hadn't left Ayena's side since the morning after they had slept together for the first time. Every time Zoser recalled that memory he got sick to his stomach. Just a half an hour after his beloved had left his bed she was brutally attacked by a man she had trusted in her own bed._

"_Son?" Sabian had asked when he'd walked into Ayena's room on the second day of Raziel's imprisonment. _

"_Father." Zoser acknowledged, his eyes not leaving Ayena's sleeping form for a second. _

"_Zoser, I know about you and the Princess."_

_The boy scoffed at his father. "Who doesn't?" _

"_Yes, well, certain events couldn't help but uncover your affair." Sabian sat down next to his son. "I must ask you to discontinue this relationship."_

_Zoser looked at his father in disbelief. "Do you see this woman? She was attacked two days ago and you think you have the right to come in here and order me around? I'm not the boy I once was, Father."_

"_That I agree with." Sabian said_. Wait for the right time to tell him_, Sabian urged himself silently_. Don't let him know just yet that he is already betrothed

"_I must ask you to leave, Father."_

"_No. I won't. Not until you promise me that this foolishness will end this instant."_

_Zoser stood up, knocking over the stool he'd been sitting on. "Get out!" There was a fire in his eyes that Sabian had never seen before. _

"_Fine. Fine. I'll get out. But if I hear that you haven't broken it off by tonight…"_

"_Guards!" Zoser called. _

"_I'm leaving." Sabian was true to his word, for once. He left and went to go talk to Minister Rymon._

_Zoser sat back down again, watching Ayena's chest rise and fall with each breath. He would never break it off with her! They'd have to kill him first! _

_Ayena was waking up and he forced a smile on his face, pretending that the confrontation with his father had never happened._

Now, as Sabian stood outside of Raziel's cell, he knew that this was the right thing to do for his sake and for Zoser's. The guard opened up the door and Sabian walked inside, shutting the door after him.

"Would you leave us alone for a minute?" Zoser asked.

The guard nodded. Sabian was a trusted adviser to Pharaoh. He was most likely there on his business. The guard walked to the other side of the room, guarding the door.

"What do you want?" Raziel asked bitterly. He looked as if he hadn't slept in days.

"I want to strike a deal with you." Sabian said, slowly gaining confidence.

"What?" Raziel wasn't sure he had heard right. "I attack your son's lover and you want to strike a deal with me?"

"That's just the point." Sabian sat down next to him. "My son, although he doesn't know it yet, is betrothed to another woman, an Egyptian woman, and, no offense, I'd rather he marry a native then be seen with a foreigner."

Raziel stood up. "So what do you propose?"

"How does murder sound?"

Raziel leaned his arm against the wall and turned his face towards the deviant minister, a smile forming on his face. "It sounds…perfect."

"You would be willing to kill your king's daughter?" Sabian was surprised. He knew that this man was corrupt, but how corrupt he was was still to be determined.

"Minister, let me tell you a story." Raziel said, standing up. "I am the leader of a group of dissidents who wish to overthrow King Azric and his regime. I was appointed to Grand Vizier after the man who originally held the job was 'mysteriously' poisoned."

Sabian smiled. This man was a younger version of himself, the type of man that he hoped Zoser would become in the future.

Raziel continued. "I've gone with the Princess to many countries, trying to help the Pharaoh make alliances. His power is weak and he needs strong allies so that in the event of a civil war he will have someone backing him up. Most of these alliances have been thwarted thanks to me. Of course, Azric thinks that it's because the countries are hostile towards him. Hopefully by the time he realizes who's really behind it all, he will be buried beneath the sands of Limia." The man paused, watching the guard who was still paying no heed to the pair in Raziel's cell. "The day of the coup is swiftly approaching. In fact, now that I'm going to stand on trial for the…incident…it will have to be sooner than I had planned."

"How do you intend to kill him?" Sabian asked.

"There will be an insurrection among the citizens of Limia, which will be started when one of Azric's guards, who will in actuality be one of my followers in uniform, murders a peasant in cold blood."

"And you believe that everything will go according to plan?"

Many of the people of Limia are disillusioned with Azric. Everything will go according to plan."

Again Sabian smiled, an evil crescent that sat on his handsome face like a king on his throne. "I think that we can help each other, after all." He said.

Sabian and Raziel spent two hours planning. First Sabian would help him escape from the prison before his trial started. Then Raziel would flee to the nearest city and stay there until Sabian sent for him. After that, it was up to Raziel to kill the Princess.

() () () () () 

Zoser was forced to leave Ayena's side that evening. The doctor wanted to take care of her wounds and examine her once more before her father came. He would be coming in a few short days and Pharaoh, still thinking of the impending alliance, wanted her to look as healthy as possible.

Zoser wanted to go to the gardens but somehow he didn't think they would help. He'd been there with Ayena. They were now…sacred didn't seem the word for it, but it was the first word that came to mind. His only other option was to go and see his father. He hadn't spoken to him since the incident in Ayena's room the day before. He figured it was time to set things straight.

Sabian was in his room, reading. Zoser knew that his father was probably still mad at him for refusing to end his relationship with Ayena. They had known each other for just a few days, but there was something there, something that neither of them could explain. It was something that he saw in her eyes when she looked up at him, he felt it in her touch, tasted it in her kiss. There was no way he was going to give up his newfound love for whatever future his father had planned for him.

"Father?" He asked, cautiously walking up to Sabian.

His father looked at him briefly then went back to his book. "Zoser." He said, unenthusiastically. "Is it done?"

Zoser shook his head, his mouth set in a determined line. "No, it isn't Father. Nor will it be. I love her."

The book was set down and Sabian stood up. "You hardly know her." He walked across the room and got out a map.

"I know as much as I need to."

His father spread the map out on his bed, pulled the stool up and started to look at it intently, not even acknowledging his son's presence. "You're making a big mistake."

"Why? Because I fell in love? Because I care about someone? How is that a mistake?"

"She is a foreigner." He traced a path with his finger. He had to figure a way to get Raziel safely away from the palace.

"So? Limia will soon be our ally."

"No it won't." His father murmured.

"How can you say that?" His father didn't look up at him, just continued to look at the map. Zoser lost his temper and swept the map off of the bed in one swift motion. "Look at me!"

Sabian was shocked at his son's actions. "Fine son. I'll look at you. You know what I see?" He stood up and looked his son up and down, circling him. "I see a confused young man, who wants nothing more than to go against his father's wishes. I see a child who pretends he is a man. I see a coward. I see-"

Zoser turned on his heel to face his father. "I am not a coward!"

"No, no, of course not, son. Never a coward." He said with contempt in his voice. "You are betrothed, did you know that?"

"What?" Zoser was shocked.

"Yes. Minister Rymon and I have discussed it. You and his daughter, Kyrie, are to marry."

"You never discussed this with me. I never would have-"

"You're seventeen! You have no say in what I decide to do or not do."

"I love Ayena!"

"You only think you do!" Sabian shook his head. "You know son, I knew that your mother was a bad influence on you."

"Don't you dare insult her!" His blood was boiling.

"See what she's done to you son! She's put silly ideas into your head. Ideas of love, of free will! She made you think that you were your own master! But she didn't take into account that you are and always will be my son! You're just like me!"

"I'M NOTHING LIKE YOU!"

It only lasted a few seconds, but the punch that followed this outburst stung on his father's face for minutes afterwards.

"You little bastard!" His father was grabbing his throat, pushing him up against the wall. "Don't you ever do that again or I'll kill you!" His voice rang out evilly in the small room.

Zoser's eyes began to bulge. "Ple-please Father. Don't do this." He managed to choke out. "I am your son." He couldn't breathe. The room was spinning, turning black; everything was slipping away so fast. Suddenly he couldn't see anymore. Then, just as death's icy hand began to take hold, his father let go.

Zoser grabbed his neck, gasping for air. He tried to stand up, but it hurt too much. When he swallowed his throat burned. His head reeled, his stomach churned. He wanted to vomit, but knew that it would hurt his throat coming up.

"Go on! Get out of here boy!" His father shouted.

Zoser still couldn't see, but knew that Sabian was right next to him. As his vision came back, slowly but surely, he saw his father's feet. The torchlight in the room was hurting his eyes, so he shut them again.

"I said, get out!" He kicked his son onto his back. "What's the matter?"

" Can't…move…"

"What's that? You can't move?" He picked his son up, ignoring the fact that he was roaring in pain. "Let me help you." He set Zoser down in the hallway. "Don't let me catch you with that whore again, you hear me?"

Zoser was left in the hallway, all alone, writhing in pain. His father, a man he'd admired his whole life, wasn't the man that he thought he was. It was in that moment that Zoser's whole image of the world fell to pieces.

() () () () () 

That evening Sabian went to visit Raziel again. He looked better than when Sabian had first gone to see him. There was color in his cheeks again and a plate of half-eaten food lay on the floor next to his bed.

Sabina now knew exactly what he was going to do. After Zoser had dragged himself off, drowning in self-pity at what he'd realized about his father, Sabian had gone back to the map and planned out an escape route out of the palace and into Verut, a city just to the north of the palace. It would be difficult to get him out of there but he figured he could create a diversion.

"Minister Sabian!" Raziel was surprised that he'd come back so soon. "What is it? Is there a problem?"

"No, no problem." Then he thought for a moment and said, "Ok, one small problem. You aren't the only one making mistakes, Raziel."

"What? Is Azric here already?"

"No. It's my son, Zoser." Sabian told him what had happened.

"You don't think that he suspects anything do you?" Raziel was beginning to think that this wasn't such a good idea.

"No, just that his father is an asshole." Sabian pulled the map out from underneath his robes. "I've figured out a way to get you out of here." He spread it out on the floor and pointed out the route he'd decided on. "Tomorrow night I'll come in here again and cause some sort of distraction. I haven't decided on what yet. We can't have anyone knowing that I was involved at all." Raziel nodded and Sabian continued. "All right, there's a secret passage that runs from my room to the farthest garden. You are to go to my room and wait for me after I've set you free. From there I'll open the passage and you'll slip out." This is where the map came in handy. "You have to go to Verut. Once you get there, go to the home of a man named Xerin. Tell him that I've sent you to him. He'll hide you until I send for you. Got it?"

Raziel nodded. "Are you sure this will work?"

"No, but it's worth a try." He sat down. "If I fail then we both die. My plans are never carried out and neither are yours. But if we don't at least try, the same thing will happen."

"I know." Raziel thought for a moment. "We have to do this, Minister. There's no other way."

"That's good to hear." Sabian got up to leave. "I'll be back tomorrow night. "Be ready."

() () () () () 

Zoser didn't go to evening meal that night. In fact, after the incident with his father, he had dragged himself to his quarters and stayed there, not daring to move. It hurt to swallow, to talk, even to breathe. But it hurt even more to think. To think that everything that he thought he had known about his father had all been a lie. It was only then, lying on his bed, thinking, that he realized that he had never really known his father.

Sabian had always been so good-natured. He always had a smile on his face. He took his job seriously but his life very lightly. At least, the Sabian that Zoser knew had been like that. But that, he realized, wasn't the real Sabian. That was just someone he pretended to be so no one would know what he was really like.

What was he really like? All Zoser knew was that he wasn't the man he'd thought he was. But if he wasn't that, then what was he? Had he ever really loved Zoser or Jandi? Had his marriage to their mother meant anything at all? From what Sabian had said, Zoser doubted that it had.

Now he knew that what he had suspected was true. He _was_ nothing like his father. And he never would be.

() () () () () 

_Zoser raced across the desert, not looking behind him. He knew that Sabian was right behind him, and gaining speed. He had a sword in his right hand, his left arm bent, reaching out to the sky. Suddenly a giant hawk swooped out of the sky, a hawk with one eye torn out. The bird screeched and Zoser dared one look back. The hawk's missing eye was hanging around his father's neck. Shocked and disgusted, Zoser accidentally tripped and fell. His father stood over him, growing larger every second. He lifted the sword over his head, holding it firmly with both hands, then rammed it through Zoser's chest._


End file.
